Air-exhausting liquid-supply apparatus.



PATENTED MAR. 1o, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

lC. A. GLAPLIN. AIR EXHAUSTING LIQUID SUPPLY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1907.

No. 881,548. l PATENTED MAR. l0, 1908.

C. A. OLAFLIN.

AIR EXHAUSTING LIQUID SUPPLYv APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHBBT Z.

CHARLES A. cLArLIN, or MEDFoRD, MASSACHUSETTS.

AIR-.EXHAUSTING LIQUID-SUPPLY APPARATUS.

. y No. 881,543.

vSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

u, Application led OctoberQ, 1907. Serial No'. 396,555.

' Toall whom. 'it may concern:

Beit `known that I, CHARLES A. CLAFLIN, ofMedford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air` Exhausting Liquid- Supply Apparatus, of

l which the following is a specification'.

vThis invention has for its object tol enable a liquid supplying faucet to perform the additional function of exhausting air from a Vacuumchamberor element of an apparatus air inlet is connected, may be maintained.-

. for utilizing a vacuum or partial vacuum. l

The invention is embodied ina cock or faucet having a liquid inlet and outlet, an intermediate air inlet, means for causing the Vliow of liquidI through the casing to induce an inflow of air through vthe air inlet, 1 means for controlling the iiow of liquid through the casinir and means for automatically closing the air inletwhen the flow of liquid andthe iiow of air induced thereby cease, so that the partial vacuum produced by the operation of the faucet in a vacuum tank withwhich the When the faucet is performing its ordinary function of supplying liquid, a iloW of air linto. the casing is induced by the iiow of liquid therethrough, the airand liquid passing together from the outlet of the casing.

The invention is also embodied in an apparatus which includes a pluralityof faucets of the character above mentioned, and-means i connected with `the air inlets of the several faucets .for utilizing the vacuum caused by thel action of the faucets or either of them.

The faucets maybe the several water supply faucets used in a house, and thevacuum utilizing means may include a vacuum tank suitably connected with asteam heating ,system to maintain heat in the radiators of the heating system. By thus utilizing water supply faucets, such as those used in connection with kitchen sinks, lavatories, flushing" tanks,

etc.; the employment of separate and special vacuum producing means or apparatus in connection with a'steam heating system, is rendered unnecessary, it being possible to Eroducefby a system of said faucets in a ,uilding and by the ordinary flow of Water through-such faucets, avacuum as high as 29", and of greater or less volume `according .to tliewater pressure and the quantity of Waterdrawn in a given time. i

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a 1l a plurality of the sai part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a sectional view of one form of air exhausting faucet embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2y o f Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of a'form of faucet embodying my invention, suitable for use asa so-called ball cock, in connection with a water closet flushingtank. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents asectional View of another type of faucetl embodying my' invention. Fig. 6 represents in elevation an air exhausting liquid supply apparatus, which includes faucets and a vacuum tank connected therewith and with a steam 4 heating system.

The sameletters of reference same parts in all thefigures.

For -convenience I will use the term faucet as characterizing each form of liquid controlling device shown in the drawings, whether the same be for the supply of Water at a kitchen sink, wash bowl, etc., as shown in Figs. 1v and 2, or for supplying a flushing tank, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or for controlling the flow of liquid througha conduit, as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, 12 represents a casing having a liquid inlet 13, an outlet 14, and an air inlet 15 located between the inlet 13 and outlet 14. The casing is provided between the liquid inlet and the outlet with means for causing the flow of liquid through the casin r to induce an inflow of air through the air mlet 1.5, the air v mingling with the li uid, and flowmg therewith through the out et 14. The said means in the best embodlment of my invention of which I am at present aware, comprlse a jet-formingnozzle 16 communicating with the inlet 13 through branched passages17, and a combining nozzle 18 'separated from the jet-.forming nozzle 16 by an air space 19 `which communicates with the airr inlet 15.

The nozzles 16 and 18 are tapered, as shown in Fig. 1, and each is preferably detachably secured tothe faucet casing 12 by'a screwthread connection, so that thc nozzles may be removed whenever this is desirable. The

relative arrangement ofthe nozzles 16 and .18 'and air chamber .19 is such that a jet of water formed b f the nozzle 16, is-projected across the air cllamber into the combming nozzle, ,and induces a liow of air through the inlet 15 into the air chamber 19, the air mingling with the jet of water inthe combining nozzle, and passing out with the water through the outlet 14. The valve 21 which controls the flow. of liquid through the faucet, is ada ted to close upon a' seat 22, which is locate between the liquid inlet 13 and jet-forming nozzle 16, so thatwhen the valve is closed, the flow of liquid through the nozzle 16 ceases.

It will be seen that whenever the faucet is performing its ordinary function, an inflow of air is induced through the air inlet 15, this inflow ceasing when the faucet is closed. In Figs. 3 and 4 I show a faucet of the character ordinarily known as a ball cock, the valve of the faucet being opened and closed by the downward and u ward movements of a float lever V23 in a flus 'ng tank 24, such as is commonly used in water closets. In this embodiment of the invention, 25 is the casing of the faucet, 26 is the jet-forming nozzle, 27 is the combining nozzle, 28 is the air chamber between the nozzles 26 and 27, and 29 is the air inlet communicating with the air chamber 28. The valve 30 which controls the flow of liquid through the faucet, is mounted 'on a plunger 31 connected with the float lever 23 1n the usual or any suitable manner. When the valve is opened the flow of liquid through the faucet into the flushing tank, induces a flow of air Vthrough the inlet 29.

In Fig. 5 I show a faucet adapted to serve as a shut-0H in a water pipe or conduit, and having a casing 32 containing a jet-forminfr nozzle 33 and a 'combining nozzle 34, said casing having a liquidinlet 35, an air inlet 36 and a shutoff valve 37 between the liquid inlet and the jet-forming nozzle. The operation of this type of faucet is the same as that of the other In Fig. 6 I show a system which includes Athe two faucets shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a

vacuum chamber 38 which is connected by apfipe 39 with the air inlets 15 and 29 of sa; faucets, `radiators 40 having suitable pipe connections with the vacuum chamber, said radiatorsforming part of a steam heating s stem, which includes a boiler 41 and sulta le steam conducting pipes connecting the boiler with the radiators. -The vacuum tank 38 may be suitably connected with the radiators, the steam plping and the boiler. Suitable check vlaves 42 are employed to prevent a back ow of air to the'vacuum chamber when the faucets are not in operation.

The vacuum faucets may, if desired, be connected directly to the radiators, suitable check valves and thermostatic valves being employed between the faucets and the radiators to prevent air from returning to the radiators after havinT been withdrawn therefrom by the action of) the faucets, and also to prevent steam from flowing through the air pipes to the faucets after steam generation and circulation have commenced.

The air inlet 15 in each embodiment of my invention, constitutes a part of a conduit adapted to`be connected with a vacuum chamber (which may be a steam radiator), the operation of the faucet inducing a flow of air from said chamber. The said conduit in each case is provided with means such as a A check valve 42, whereby it may be closed to prevent a back flow of air to said chamber when the operation of the faucet ceases.

It will be understood that the amount of vacuum produced is dependent on the number of faucets employed and the extent to which the faucets are used.

It will be seen that the faucets may be used only for the supply of liquid when a vacuum production is not desired.

My invention above described may be utilized for other purposes, and is not limited to use in connectlon with a heating system.

1. An air-exhausting apparatus, comprising .a faucet or cock casing having a liquid inlet, an outlet, an intermediate air inlet, means for causing the flow of li uid through said casing to induce an inflow. o air through the air inlet, and a liquid-controlling valve adapted to shut ofl the liquid between the liquld inlet and the air inlet, thesaid air inlet forming a part of an air conduit adapted for connection with a vacuum chamber, and means -for closing said conduit to prevent a back flow of air therethrough. 2. An air-exhausting apparatus, comprisino' a faucet or cock casing having a liquid inlet, an outlet, an intermediate air inlet, means for causing the flow of li( uid through said casing to induce an inflow o air through the air inlet, and a liquid-controlling valve adapted to shut off the liquid between the liquld inlet and the air inlet, the said air inlet forming a part of an air conduit adapted for connection with a vacuum chamber, and a vacuum-maintaining check valve controlling the air in said conduit.

3. An air-exhausting faucet or cock, comrising a casing having a liquid inlet, an outet, a jet-forming nozzle communicating with the liquid inlet, a combining nozzle between the outlet and the jet-forming nozzle, and separated from the latter by an airspace, an air inlet communicating with said air space, and a liquid-controlling valve between the jet-forming nozzle and the liquld inlet, the relative arrangement of said nozzles and air space being such that a jct of liquid is projected across thc air space into the combining nozzle, and induces an inflow of air through the air inlet.

4. An air.- exhausting liquid-sup ly apparatus, comprising a plurality of aucets, each having a li uid inlet, an outlet, an intermediate air in et, means for causing the I flow of liquid through the casing to induce 4 In testimony whereof -I have aHxed my an inow of air through the an' inlet, and signature, in presence of two Witnesses. means for shutting 0H the liquid between the 1 liquid and air inlets, a vacuum tank, pipe l CHARLES A OLAF-LIN' 5 connections between said tank and the Witnesses: A

several faucets, and` Vacuum-maintaining EDWARD E. PARKER,

check valves controlling said air inlets. ORLANDO F. DE SHON. 

